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I cannot answer (a). Firstly, because local authority and housing association tenants do not apply to take part in the central heating programme: eligible households are identified by their landlords who also arrange the schedule of works. Secondly, because details of the programme as administered by Eaga are not collected on a local authority basis. As regards (b), I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29435 today, which gives the number of central heating systems installed across all sectors of the stock since the programme began. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

The Executive has always maintained that the transfer would be concluded by the end of the year. There will be no requirement for a further ballot of tenants.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29691 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29691 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29691 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

The Drinking Water Quality Regulator monitors compliance with the drinking water quality standards set out in The Water Supply (Water Quality) (Scotland) Regulations 1990. The regulator has considerable enforcement powers and if appropriate will require Scottish Water to carry out any remedial measures necessary to protect public health. Scottish Water has also given Scottish ministers undertakings to upgrade water treatment facilities across Scotland to specified timescales.

The Executive does not normally take action on the basis of newspaper reports.

The current Scottish passenger rail franchise term ends in March 2004. Scottish ministers gave Directions and Guidance (D&G) for the next franchise to the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) on 28 June 2002. The D&G instructed the SRA that the franchise should enable the operator's performance to be monitored and assessed over time and be capable of termination if performance were consistently deemed to be unacceptable. A copy of the D&G is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 22122).Monitoring of performance will be a matter for the SRA, and a report on the operator's performance will be published in the SRA's Annual Report.

The Ad Hoc Group of ministers on Health and Public Water supply recommended that the Scottish Executive, in conjunction with Scottish Water and NHS boards, should urgently complete the current review of Water Hazard Incident Plans.The revised plan must ensure that communication between Scottish Water and the NHS boards, with the Executive and most crucially with the public, is consistent and effective and operates within clearly defined criteria, where operational failures occur.The aim is to complete the review and produce an all-Scotland plan by December 2002.

Responsibility for measuring the performance of all train operating companies in Great Britain, including ScotRail, rests with the Strategic Rail Authority.